


tiktok (you make my heart stop)

by Jenny_Jensen



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, TikTok
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:08:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24752926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenny_Jensen/pseuds/Jenny_Jensen
Summary: She's obsessed with the app TikTok, he's the lucky boy that gets his reaction recorded every time his beautiful girlfriend wants to try the latest trend.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz, Joaquin DeSantos/Kevin Keller
Comments: 32
Kudos: 146
Collections: 7th Bughead Fanfiction Awards - Nominees





	1. What The F*CK Is TikTok?

**Author's Note:**

> IT'S HERE!
> 
> Well, the first chapter, anyway.
> 
> Thank you for reading! :)

* * *

“A toast,”

Jughead raises his beer, bewildered. While Sweet Pea never turns down the opportunity to get drunk, the only other time he’s seen his friend toast to _anything_ was the night Betty cut ties with her mother in favor of a family with the Serpents the day she turned eighteen.

The others follow suit before Joaquin raises an eyebrow, arm hooked around Kevin’s shoulders. “What are we celebrating?”

He grins cheekily. “Jones’s last few moments of freedom.”

Laughter fills the otherwise empty bar as Jughead slugs his shoulder good naturedly. Since Betty agreed to move in with him when she was home on a night of Spring Break back in March, he was still proud of himself for how effortlessly the night had gone, complete with him in a tux, ring in a box, down on one knee, _the jokes hadn’t stopped._

“I don’t want my freedom,” he replies simply. “I just want Betty.”

It’s the truth. The months she’s been gone, getting an education nearly two hours away, working as a Resident Advisor for free room and board Fall, Spring and Summer semesters, because Alice gave her college fund to the Farm, have been torturous. Even when she’s home with him, every weekend and holiday she can manage to get off, just goes by too quickly.

He rode to New Haven the day of her graduation, cheering loudly with his dad, sister, and the rest of their chosen family, stayed the night in her tiny, cramped dorm, wanted her to leave with him the next day, but she had still belonged to res life for another week, checking residents out of their own dorms, cleaning out the building, packing her own stuff up.

Something else he wanted to help with.

It’s just his luck that the shop starts really getting busy in May, and as the owner, lead mechanic when his girl is away at school, and _Serpent King_ , it was nearly impossible to take another day off to help Betty move out for the last time, as much as he wanted to.

Toni and Cheryl, borrowing his truck, insist they can get the job done better anyway.

“I still can’t believe you convinced _Betty Cooper_ , our Betty Cooper to take four months off,” Joaquin shakes his head. “That’s... not like her.”

Jughead sighs. “I had to agree to let her double her schedule for the next three years of grad school, so she can graduate _in_ three years, all for four months of relaxation. It was worth it though.”

“What is she gonna do with herself?”

“Whatever the fuck she wants to,” he shrugs. “Work at the garage, sleep till noon, bake all day, watch movies, _write_ , whatever she wants. This is the first time my girl will actually get to _relax_ for the first time in four years, and I’m gonna make sure she takes full advantage of it.”

“Betty works too hard,” Archie says. “She deserves some time off, just... don’t let her get a TikTok, okay?”

“A _what?”_

“TikTok,” he repeats.

“What the fuck is that?”

“An app that Ronnie is obsessed with,” he sighs. “She’s always posting. She’s addicted.”

“Uh Archie,” Kevin laughs. _“You_ have a TikTok and... you post more than Veronica does.”

Jughead stares at his best friend, amused. “Oh _really?”_

“Like I said, addicting,” Archie throws the rest of his beer back. “It’s a great platform to post my music on though. I get a lot of likes. The worst are the couple challenges, although... I didn’t mind the nakey challenge.”

“The _what?”_

“It’s-”

 _“Honey,”_ a familiar voice croons. _“I’m home.”_

A grin spreads across his face.

He abandons the beer at the bar, pushes himself at the stool, turns to face the person he loves most.

Her hair is falling askew from the top knot she’s probably been sporting all weekend. She’s bare faced and beautiful. She’s wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt she stole from him years ago.

She looks exhausted.

But then their eyes meet, and she smiles shyly.

She’s the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen.

“Hi,” she whispers.

Jughead laughs, steps towards her. “Hey.”

Betty throws her arms around him. Grinning, he buries his face into the crook of her neck, lifts her up, spins her around to make her laugh.

“I missed you,” he says.

She sniffles. “I missed you too.”

Pulling back, he curves a hand down the side of her face. “How was it?”

Betty’s nose crinkles in annoyance. “Don’t. Ask.”

“That bad, huh?” Jughead frees her hair from the lopsided ponytail it’s turned into, tucking a tangled strand behind her ear. “I wish I could erase it for you baby, but since I can’t... how about a drink?”

He’s rewarded with a breathtaking smile.

“Jughead Jones, I love you,”

* * *

She’s welcomed back with open arms.

Fangs, Sweet Pea, Joaquin, Archie, Kevin, all take turns sweeping her off her feet, hugging her tight.

It’s good to be home.

* * *

It’s hard to believe she’s really here.

She’s on his lap, his jacket wrapped around her, a beer in her hand, laughing at a joke Kevin tells her.

It’s nice to see her happy.

He tightens his arm around her waist, grins as she leans back into him, head against his chest.

It’s not just a visit this time, he has to remind himself of that constantly. She’s here to _stay_ , and what’s better, they’re finally going to live together.

It’s a big step, one he’s been more than ready to take.

* * *

They leave her belongings locked down in the bar. They’ll be safe for one more night, and when Betty mumbles something about dreading having to lug them up yet another flight of stairs, Jughead makes a silent agreement with the boys to wake up extra early and get everything done so she won’t have to lift another finger.

Her four months off officially starts tonight.

By the time he finally kicks everyone out, locks the door behind them, his girlfriend is half asleep at the bar top, head resting heavily in her hands.

“C’mon, my little over achiever,” Jughead teases, lifting her into his arms. “let’s get you to bed.”

* * *

Sleep doesn’t come for a long time.

What can he say? They’ve been apart for far too long.

Their bodies are no strangers to one another.

* * *

Later, when he thinks he’s asleep, and he’s slowly dozing off himself, a soft fit of laughter fills his ears, snaps him back.

“Baby?”

Her eyes widen slightly as she glances up at him, and she smiles guiltily. “Sorry Juggie, I didn’t mean to wake you, it’s just... these people are geniuses! They built their dog a sound board so he could communicate with them! Isn’t that hilarious?”

Jughead rubs his eyes, completely confused. “Um... what?”

And then he sees it, in the corner of the app she currently has open on her phone. _TikTok._

“Veronica told me about it,” she tells him. “and it was popular with a lot of my residents, so... I thought I’d give it a try. You should get one Jug! There’s a lot of talented people on here!”

Jughead blinks, bewildered.

Life, he thinks, sometimes, is very, very strange.

“Juggie? You okay?”

“...Oh boy.”


	2. And Please Say To Me (You’ll Let Me Hold Your Hand)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read any of my other stuff, you probably know that I LOVE angst, or it's my go-to genre.
> 
> I'm happy, however, to be writing something that is nothing but fluff, and some smut :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!

* * *

By the time she wakes up, it’s well past ten, and part of her can’t believe Jughead let her sleep so late.

But then she remembers the agreement she made with him, three years of _over-_ doing it for grad school in exchange for four months of pure relaxation. While she’s still not exactly sure who got the better deal, she’s looking forward to being able to let her hair down, both figuratively and literally.

She’ll go to the beach with Veronica, help Archie train for his up and coming boxing career, work in the garage whenever she feels like it. She’ll join the Serpents every night at the bar.

Maybe sometimes, she’ll spend the entire day in the bed that is now hers as much as it his, convince Jughead to play hooky, stay with her under the sheets.

Betty has never been very good at relaxing.

The smell of fresh coffee whiffles through the air. It’s the only thing that can get her out of bed. She doesn’t remember Jughead’s bed ever being _this_ comfy.

He’s standing at the counter, one steaming cup in front of him, hands wrapped around it. Another one is directly across from him. For her.

A smile breaks out across her face.

“Hi,”

“Hey there, Sleeping Beauty,” there’s a teasing lilt to his tone. “I thought I was gonna have to come and kiss you awake, but then I thought, nah, my girl loves coffee.”

Betty snorts. She can’t help it.

“I _do_ love my coffee,” she says. “but I love you more, Jughead Jones.”

A wide grin spreads across his face.

“I love you most, Betty Cooper.”

Betty takes a single sip of coffee, abandons her cup on the counter, slides under his arms as they come to wrap around her.

“That’s not possible,” she whispers.

But maybe it is. She loves him, he loves her, and what they have, everything they’ve been through, it’s real. It hasn’t always been _easy_ , but it’s real, and what’s more, it’s forever.

Everything they do is for each other.

“I think it is,” Jughead replies, breaking her from her thoughts.

Betty shakes her head, makes it a point not to argue with him. She knows that everything they feel is entirely equal, no matter what he says.

“Juggie?”

“Yeah baby?”

She smiles shyly. “...I’ll take that kiss now.”

Laughing loudly, he lifts her up, sets her on the counter, knocking his cup back, nearly spilling it all over the place, but neither of them seem to care.

His lips brush across hers, a soft, sweet kiss.

And then clothes go _flying._

* * *

It’s only later, when she’s wearing his t-shirt, and _just_ his t-shirt, does she realize that all the boxes filled to the very brim with everything she owns from four years of res life, the ones she left locked safely away in the back of the bar the previous night, are carefully stacked in what is usually their living room.

She doesn’t sit up. Her head is in his lap, fingers combing through her hair, gently massaging her scalp. She’s so fucking comfortable.

“Juggie,”

“Baby, it’s not a big deal,” he replies, and shrugs. “You didn’t think I’d really let you do any more heavy lifting, did you?”

Betty rolls her eyes. “I’m not that fragile, Mr. Jones.”

“I know _that,”_ teasingly, he leans over her, nuzzles his nose against hers. “I just meant that you, Elizabeth Jessica Cooper, are _officially_ on vacation, and I don’t want you lifting a finger.”

“You’re a dork,” she tells him, and laughs.

“It’s true,” Jughead agrees easily. “but I’m _your_ dork baby, and you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

 _Good,_ she thinks, she never wants to be away from him.

They’re in this for the long haul.

* * *

 _“No,”_ she whines, and wraps her arms a little tighter around his midsection.

Laughing softly, he finishes lacing his boot, turns, pulls her down onto his lap.

“It’s just about hour baby,” he promises. “Sixty minutes at the garage for that fucking staff meeting, and then I’m yours for the rest of the week.”

Betty smiles so hard, she shows off the dimples she’s spent her life trying to hide, thinking they’re not attractive. He fucking loves those dimples.

“How about for the rest of our lives?” She bargains.

Grinning, he kisses her nose.

“How about forever?” Jughead counters, and when that breathtaking smile broke out across her face yet again, he kissed her senseless. “I really do have to go baby. I’ll be back soon, okay? And then, I’ll take you to Pop’s

* * *

She spends the sixty minutes he’s gone lying on their bed, _their bed_ , she still can’t believe it, phone plugged into its charger, flipping through page after page on TikTok.

Archie was right, it _is_ addicting.

She feels a little guilty for lying to Jug. Veronica might have told her about the app, but Archie’s selling points were what really made her download it. He’s embarrassed, it seems, and she’s not really sure why. The platform is for anyone that chooses to use it appropriately.

Archie’s music is amazing, she’s not being bias as his best friend. Okay... maybe she is being a _little_ bias, but he really is one of the most talented people she knows.

Besides Josie, Melody and Valerie. It’s pretty cool to say that she knew the band Here to Stay, formally as Josie and the Pussycats, before they were both slaying the charts with weekly number one singles and actively fighting for the respect they so all equally deserved, back when they performed at pep rallies, high school dances and yearly Battle of the Bands competitions, winning every single time.

There are a _lot_ of couples challenges on TikTok, and she’s not entirely surprised to find that her two best friends are currently on the Discover page for the _nakey challenge._

If the idea of what her two best friends, the brother she never had, and the sister she’s always _wanted_ , do behind closed doors didn’t gross her out so much, she _knows_ what happened the second Veronica turned her phone off, Archie’s jaw falling to the floor, eyes wide with shock, she would have watched it in its entirety.

It _is_ a funny idea, a way to see how your partner may see _you_ when you’re too busy trying to get their clothes off, their reaction to quite literally revealing yourself to them, and if Betty only had a little more courage...

 _“Archiekins,”_ Veronica croons. She sounds seductive.

Like a Tinder swipe in rejection, she only knows about _that_ app because of her single friends from college, she moves away from Veronica and Archie’s moment of fame, and comes across an entirely new video. A girl, pulling her hand away from her significant other as they drive down the road.

Her thoughts go to Jughead, and how he always holds her hand tightly in his, like he never wants to let go.

Archie _did_ say that it was addicting...

* * *

She does it spontaneously.

They’re about the minutes away from Pop’s, the radio is off, and she’s seated beside him in the truck, head on his shoulder as she drives, fingers woven together.

In her free hand is her phone, scrolling through the different feeds of her social media, so it’s not _too_ suspicious.

She tilts the phone just _so_ , angling it in a way that isn’t obvious, and then, daringly, she lets go of his hand.

“Baby,” Jughead whines, without missing a beat. He grabs her hand back, pulls it to the safety of his space on the driver’s side, holds on a little tighter.

Betty tries to contain her laughter as she lets go again, but his grip never falters.

“Baby,” he says again, and side eyes her warningly. She knows what will happen when they pull up to Pop’s, he’ll pull her from the cab, pin her to the side of the truck, tickle her until she’s breathless, and their laughter is combined, not caring who might happen to see him. In those moments, they are entirely carefree. “Betts, I used to fantasize about holding your hand in the third grade. _Let me have this.”_

She remembers a time when Reggie Mantle and Moose Mason thought it was _weird_ that Jughead Jones didn’t seem to have interest in anything that wasn’t a comic book, video game or plate of cookies. They were only seven or eight, of course, but no one, not even Archie, who was around for nearly every play date and adventure, knew that Jughead used to carry her backpack for her along with his own as they walked home from school, picked wild flowers for her because they always seemed to make her smile, shared half his cookie with her even though he _hated_ sharing food.

He hadn’t been interested in girls, he had been interested in _her_ , and Betty had only had eyes for him. Childhood sweethearts that had survived those awkward teen years, the norms of the hierarchy high school food chain, the popular girl and the social outcast, head over heels in love, a misunderstood, but still fearsome gang that they now both belong to in some way or another, and finally, the four years of distance so she could finish her degree and move onto grad school, become better than both her parents had ever been.

So daydreaming about holding her hand in the third grade isn’t that farfetched.

He can have it, her hand, her body, her heart and soul. It’s belonged to him for as long as she’s been alive anyway.

Betty Cooper is the luckiest girl alive.

* * *

There has to be _some_ sort of payback.

He pulls into Pop’s, yanks the keys from the ignition and pockets them. His brows raise, and before she can try and scramble away to the other door, he has her gently by the ankles, tugging her towards him until he can hoist her out of the truck, pinning her to the side with both wrists trapped above her head.

His free hand roams freely across the sides of her stomach, gently pinching and prodding.

 _“Jug!”_ Betty hiccups. She’s laughing so hard, tears form in her eyes. “Okay, okay! I give! I give! I’m _yours!_ You can hold my hand any time you want to!”

He chuckles and finally relents, pulling his giggling girlfriend into his arms.

“Damn right I can,” he teases, and kisses her hard on the mouth. “C’mon baby, let’s see about those milkshakes.”

* * *

Betty is fast asleep when Archie calls.

“Dude,” he says, before Jughead can even say _hello._ “You’re on TikTok!”

“I’m on _what?”_

“I’m not explaining this again Jug,” Archie grumbles. “Look, I screen recorded it and just sent it your way. It’s official, Betty is a tocker. _For life.”_

Jughead rolls his eyes, hears his phone ding yet again, puts Archie on speaker as he goes to watch whatever it is that his best friend has sent him this time.

 _“I used to fantasize about holding your hand in the third grade,”_ he hears himself say, and instantly recognizes the sound of his girlfriend trying to keep from laughing in the background. _“Let me have this.”_

“Sorry man,” Archie mumbles.

“For what?”

“Well... you’re _in it,”_ he replies. “Now that Betty’s started, she’s not going to stop.”

“So?”

 _“So?_ Jug, you _hate_ social media. The only reason you got a Facebook was because some guy showed interest in Betty junior year, and you wanted the world to know that she was taken, just by her relationship status on _her_ Facebook saying _Betty Cooper is in a relationship with Jughead Jones.”_

Jughead’s eyes narrow. “That’s not the only reason-”

“And the selfies,” Archie cuts in. “I know for a fact that every picture Betty has ever taken, you have saved to your camera roll.”

Why wouldn’t he? Betty is fucking beautiful. When they were apart while she was at school, he started and ended the day in the exact same way, by staring at her beautiful face until his eyes grew heavy.

“The point is,” he sighs. “you hate anything having to do with social media.”

“Well I’m not the one _posting_ anything Arch,” Jughead says. “Betty’s an adult, man. She can do whatever the fuck she wants to.”

“...Even if _you’re_ the person she’s putting in her TikToks?”

He appreciates the concern, strange as it is, but he isn’t the same boy that used to watch his girlfriend cheer on the football players from under the bleachers, the rest of the Serpents milling around behind him.

He’s not a loner, not a social outcast. He’s the leader of the Southside Serpents. He owns a fucking garage. He’s a son, an older brother.

He’s Betty Cooper’s _boyfriend_ , and maybe someday, he’ll get to be even more.

Like her husband.

And the father to her children.

“Jug?”

“Sorry Arch, I was just thinking...”

“About Betty putting you on TikTok?”

“No asshole,” Jughead rolls his eyes. “You know damn well that I would never tell Betty what to do, especially if it makes her happy.”

Because she was _happy_ earlier in the truck, giddily pulling her hand away, happier than he’s seen in the last few months, and what’s more, she was _relaxed_ , not worrying about what was to come later that day like she had been trained to do as a Resident Advisor.

No, scratch that. From what she had been trained to do as a member of the Cooper family.

So if this silly app, and recording his reaction to whatever she can come up with, he’s all for it.

Because Betty’s happiness means the world to him.


	3. Don't Let Me Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a millenial trying to write about TikTok haha. I hope I'm doing okay!
> 
> Thank you for reading! :)

* * *

Jughead’s around as much as he can be.

He’s the leader of the Serpents, owner of a very successful bike shop that gets great business year round, and sometimes, it seems like he is singlehandedly responsible for keeping the Southside a peaceful place instead of going up in flames.

Betty _might_ be a little bias, of course.

But he’s around, and then he’s not, pulling late nights her first weekend home. She goes to the garage with him when she can, helps Sweet Pea and Fangs with cars that they, even as great mechanics, struggle with.

They tell her that she’s the _best_ , ask her to reconsider a career in journalism and just work at the garage instead. Jughead’s the only one who knows that she may, just _may_ , have minored in auto mechanics while at Yale.

She has a lot of dreams, a lot of things she wants to do in life.

* * *

She doesn’t know that her boyfriend has recently required the abandoned Riverdale Register.

He grins to himself as he watches his girls best the boys in fixing an old Cosmo that he himself has tried, and failed to get running in the past.

Betty really is amazing.

He feels the key in his pocket, makes a mental note to change the locks, change the name, redo the entire inside if that’s what she wants. He’s got enough money saved to make her dreams come true.

Nothing but good memories from here on out.

* * *

The engine rumbles to life, and she gets a standing ovation, led by none other than her boyfriend, who grins at her proudly from across the room.

Sweet Pea and Fangs lift her onto their shoulders, parade her around the room as tears fall from her eyes from laughing so hard.

It’s good to be home.

* * *

He takes an entire day off at his own insistence to get her properly moved in to what is now _their_ apartment.

She’s had her own key since he took over the loft above the Wyrm, made it his own, but there’s something that makes her feel almost giddy over saying that the space that was once his is also now hers, and one of the first things she does is change her mailing address to his.

Jughead’s standing behind her, laughs with pride, takes her in his arms the second she finishes, and again welcomes her _home._

* * *

Betty is the Queen of Organization.

He can’t find _anything_ in the closet anymore. His pants are where his underwear once was, and his flannels have mysteriously disappeared into _her_ side of the closet, but he’s never been happier.

* * *

Betty falls _into_ the toilet during the early morning hours when she’s still half sleep, stumbling into the bathroom unexpectantly.

A screech has Jughead running into the room, shirtless, sans beanie, eyes wide.

“Baby-”

* * *

They both burst out laughing. What else can they do?

Betty’s face is red, tears spill from her eyes because she’s still laughing too hard, and in between the giggles, she’s doing her best to fix him with a believable death stare.

He’s gotten too used to being able to leave the seat up.

He can’t do that anymore, because he knows if there’s one thing his girlfriend _doesn’t_ want, it’s a wet butt every single morning.

They’re still laughing as he grabs her hands, pulls her off, both of them losing the rest of their clothes to slip into their walk-in shower, adjusting the water to the perfect temperature.

Before long, her legs are around his waist, his hands gripping her thighs, holding her up. Her back is against the wall, and her fingers are tangled in his dampened hair.

It’s the best way to wake up.

* * *

They take his old truck to the nearest home good store, stock up on whatever the fuck they feel like getting.

There’s so many pictures of them without frames, so Betty buys frames in bulk, determined to have the walls of their loft play out the epic- _ness_ that is their love story.

* * *

The apartment is nearly unrecognizable by the time his girlfriend is done with her finishing touches.

It’s never looked better in his eyes. He can’t wait to start his future with her, right here in _their_ home.

* * *

The comments on her first and only TikTok are all positive and uplifting. Jughead’s declaration about envisioning holding her hand in the third grade has everyone _swooning_ , and when Betty comments back to them, confessing that she has loved Jughead for just as long, if not longer, all she gets is a bunch of heart eyed emojis in return.

She’s at Pop’s with her friends, scrolling through her feed. Jughead and the rest of the Serpents are supposed to join them for a late dinner, but they aren’t there yet, so it’s just her, Veronica, Archie and Kevin.

“So, _BettyBoop1002,”_ Kevin teases, and her face turns red. The numbers in her username are not random, but Jughead’s birthday, and BettyBoop, well, that was Veronica’s idea. “When’s your next TikTok?”

Giggling, Betty shrugs, lays her phone face first down onto the table.

“I don’t know,” she confesses. “It was fun, and funny, but... guys, I’m _not_ a toker.”

Archie’s brows raise. “Is _that_ what they’re called?”

“I have no idea,”

“Betty,” Kevin nudges her gently, ready to steer the conversation back to its original point. “You and Jughead are adorable.”

She blushes.

“You are _utterly_ adorable,” Veronica agrees, biting the straw stuck into the middle of her chocolate milk shake.

He nods eagerly. “You’d be doing the world a disservice if you didn’t continue allowing the TikTok community to see how much that boy loves you, and how much you love him in return.”

Betty laughs again, shaking her head. She think Kevin is being a little _over_ dramatic. After all, he directed _and_ starred in all the musicals back in high school. She still appreciates the sentiment behind his words.

“You guys go good together,” Archie offers, almost as an afterthought, and playfully, she kicks at his leg under the table. Archie is a good guy, but compliments about any other couple that are not himself and Veronica have never been his strong suit. “Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks Betty, if making TikToks about Jughead makes you happy, then do it. Just, you know, if you could _skip_ the naked challenge for my sake, as your best friend, and the closest thing you have to a brother...”

“Girl,” Veronica reaches across the table, squeezes her hand. “if you wanna do the nakey challenge, _do the nakey challenge.”_

Betty can’t meet either of their eyes.

“I don’t know what I would even post next,” she confesses, after a moment of awkward silence.

“Uh... anything besides the-”

_“Archiekins.”_

“You know his jaw would hit the floor if you walked out in front of his wearing absolutely nothing...”

 _“Kevin,”_ Betty warned, matching Veronica’s tone. She loved her friends, she really did, but Archie had a point. No one needed to know what she and Jughead got up to behind closed doors besides her and Jughead.

“Aww Betty, c’mon! You’re daring! You’re beautiful! You’re desirable!”

 _“Kev,”_ she laughed, face turning even redder. Archie looked horrified, and she didn’t blame him. He really was like the brother she’d never gotten to have. He didn’t like the thought of her having sex with Jughead any more than she would ever picture what he and Veronica got up to in their own bedroom. It was just too weird. “Tell you what, if-”

 _“When,”_ Kevin pressed.

 _“If,”_ Betty said again. “If I ever do the naked challenge-”

“Nakey,”

“Oh, does it _really_ matter?”

“Sorry, continue,”

She rolled her eyes, completely exasperated. “If I ever do the _nakey_ challenge, I’ll just post it to my page, and you and Veronica can watch it while Archie stays as far away from the app as he can get.”

Veronica pats her boyfriend’s arm sympathetically. “I’ll let you know to steer clear of Betty’s page.”

“Gee,” it’s Archie’s turn to roll his eyes. _“thanks.”_

He offers Betty his trademark boyish grin, any traces of awkwardness gone from his features. She starts to smile back, but there’s the familiar sound of several motorcycle engines entering the lot at once, and Archie’s playful nod has her whipping her head around to face the window.

He’s finally here.

Her eyes light up, and then, without even waiting for Kevin to stand so she can get out of the booth and go greet her boyfriend, she’s climbing over him, eager to get to Jughead.

Sometimes, she can’t see anyone else. _That’s_ what it’s like to be so utterly in love with someone.

Betty’s so busy bustling through the front door that she doesn’t realize she’s left her phone behind, nor does she notice Kevin pick it up, open up the TikTok app, aim the camera at her, and start recording.

* * *

He barely has time to get his helmet off before a frenzied blonde is hurling herself at him.

Laughing, Jughead catches her easily, abandons his helmet on the seat of his bike, slips an arm under her thighs to hoist her up into a bear hug.

Cheers and jeers erupt from the Serpents behind him, led by Cheryl and Toni. He’s used to it. He doesn’t give a _fuck._

Betty clings to him, and he grins, rubbing his free hand up and down her back. After a long day of work, it feels great to hold her again. They’ve been apart for hours. While she could have gone to the garage with him, she’d made a promise to get her nails done with Veronica.

He’s glad she’s finally relaxing. It’s been a week since she officially moved in, and she’s been sleeping consecutively eight to nine hours every night. He hasn’t seen her use her favorite way of coping with her stress once.

Fuck. He’s proud of her.

The Serpents head for the door, ready to take over the booths that are unofficially reserved for them. His stomach grumbles, so he tries to put her down so he can take her by the hand and follow them in.

Betty refuses to budge.

“Betts-”

“No,” she says.

Jughead laughs, pushes her back enough so he can meet her eyes. “Baby...”

 _“No,”_ Betty whines, clinging to him tighter. “Jug, I missed you. Don’t let me go.”

_Don’t let me go._

_Never, sweetheart,_ he thinks, and kisses the top of her head in response.

“We have to go join the others,” Jughead tells her gently.

“I know,”

“Are you hungry?”

“Mhhm,”

“Okay,” he rubs her back. “Are you going to get off of me then?”

Betty snuggles closer to him. “Nope.”

He’s both amused and exhausted.

“Jug,” Toni calls from the doorway. “Are you coming or what?”

He tightens his hold on the bundle in his arms.

“You’re really not going to let go of me?” Jughead teases.

She shakes her pretty blonde head.

“Jug?”

“We’re coming,” he calls back, and with a simple shrug of his shoulders, he carries her into the diner.

* * *

He loves behind able to hold her.

They sit in the same booth she was occupying with Kevin, Archie and Veronica earlier. He’s on the outside, Betty is in his lap.

Sure, sometimes his legs go numb under the added weight, but he doesn’t care. He’ll hold her any chance he can get.

His arms are wrapped around her, her back is pressed against his chest, her head is on his shoulder. Once or twice, he notices Kevin aiming a phone his way, but he pays him little mind. Betty has his full attention, always and forever.

They eat two burgers each, share a couple of milkshakes, kiss, just to make their friends roll their eyes and look away.

It’s a really good night.

* * *

Her eyes grow heavy as they’re starting to wrap up. Smiling softly, he kisses the top of her head, announces to the rest of the group that they are leaving.

Betty hums in response, makes no moves to get off his lap, not that he expected or _wanted_ her to. Grinning, he picks her up, holds her close as he slides out of the booth.

Betty whispers her goodbyes to her friends, turns her face, hides her face into the crook of his neck.

“I can walk, you know,” she mumbles sleepily.

“I know you can,” dipping his head, he nuzzles her nose. _“Don’t let me go_ , remember?”

“Hmm,” Betty smiles, snuggles into him. “I love you.”

“I love you too baby,”

Carefully, he sets her down on the seat of the bike, helps her into her helmet and his jacket because it’s starting to get cold.

Her eyes widen. She pats the pockets of her shorts.

“Betts?”

“My phone,” she says. “I must have left it in the booth.”

* * *

“I’ll get it,” Jughead offers easily. Leaning down, he captures her lips in a quick kiss. “Don’t go anywhere, okay Betts?”

“Mhhm,” she agrees. “Juggie?”

“Yeah baby?”

“I really do love you,”

A breathtaking smile breaks out across his face. Clearly, Jughead never tires of hearing it, and Betty will never tire of saying it.

She loves him.

* * *

He doesn’t have to go far.

“Jug,”

Kevin is sprinting towards him, thrusts a familiar looking custom made case, himself and Betty on the back of his bike the summer she turned nineteen, into his hand.

“Betty left her phone in the booth,” he explains, accepting Joaquin’s outstretched palm. “Oh, and tell her that she’s welcome.”

“Welcome?” Jughead’s brows shoot up. “Uh Kev, what, exactly, should Betty be thanking you for?”

His eyes shine.

“Her latest TikTok,”

* * *

He shouldn’t snoop. He really shouldn’t.

He respects Betty’s privacy, revels in it, but he _is_ human. It’s okay to be curious.

And besides, they have no secrets. He knows she won’t mind.

He opens the app, goes to her profile, smiles at the familiar numbers in his girlfriend’s username. His birthday. God, he loves her.

It’s Kevin’s handywork all right, footage of Betty greeting him when he first arrived, sitting on his lap in the booth, even a few seconds of their stolen kisses, set to a lovey-dovey song that tugs at even his heartstrings a little.

It’s cutesy. He’s not mad about it.

She already has several comments, one of them stating that the user hopes they can find a love like the one Jughead and Betty clearly share.

He doesn’t know the girl, but he wishes her luck and love. He hopes that someday, everyone will be lucky to find someone to love as much as he loves Betty.

Jughead closes the app, pockets her phone, heads back to the bike. Betty is ready to fall asleep sitting up.

Kissing her forehead, he pulls on his helmet, kickstarts the motorcycle, grins as her arms wrap tightly around his midsection.

“Don’t let go of me,” he teases, tearing out of the parking lot.

* * *

He helps her change into one of his t-shirts, tucks her into bed, wraps his arms tightly around her.

“I love you, Betty Cooper,” he mumbles.

Betty’s fingers lace together behind his neck.

God, she’s _lucky._ She’s so fucking lucky.

“Jughead Jones,” she whispers. “I love you.”

Their lips meet in a short, sweet kiss. His breathing starts to even out. He’s just as tired.

“Betts,”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t let go of me,” Jughead tells her, and it’s almost a plea. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Betty answers, without hesitation.

Her arms around him tighten.


	4. Hugs From Boys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! :)

* * *

“Oh come on Jug,”

“Arch-”

Archie dropped his glass back onto the bar top. _“Why don’t you want to spend time with me?”_

“Why are you _whining_ at me?” Jughead demanded, exasperated.

Toni’s soft laughter filled his ears, even halfway across the bar.

Betty is behind him suddenly, arms wrapping around his leather clad shoulders in a long squeeze. Catching her right hand, he brings it to his mouth for a kiss, and she hums happily in response.

“Hey baby,” he greets softly. “How’d the game go?”

“Kicked Sweet Pea’s ass,” Betty replies, gesturing to the pool table, where their tallest friend is indeed still pouting.

“That’s my girl,”

Betty really is something else.

“So why is Archie whining at you?”

“He wants to spend all of Saturday playing video games,” Jughead sighs.

“It’ll be like old times,” Archie nags. “You know, before either of us got girlfriends.”

“Certainly you’re not complaining about having a girlfriend, Archibald,” Veronica remarks, appearing at his other side.

His eyes widen. “No, babe, not at all!”

Jughead spins Betty around to face him, settling her between his open legs. “I’m not complaining.”

He kisses her nose.

“No, you hardly ever do,” she agrees, and smiles at him warmly. “Juggie, you should do it.”

“You sure?”

Betty rolls her eyes. “Don’t sounds so surprised, Forsythe.”

“I didn’t mean it like _that,”_ he emphasizes, but because she’s only teasing, he hikes her closer. “I just don’t wanna spend a day without you, and Saturday is usually our day together, angel.”

“Well,” she says, after a moment. “There’s always Saturday night, and Sunday...”

He knows exactly hat she’s thinking, and he’s more than ready to comply.

“There’s also _right now,”_ Jughead sweeps her off her feet, starts towards the stairs. “Fine, I’ll play video games with Archie on Saturday, but come Saturday night, you’re all mine.”

Giggling, her arms wrap tightly around his neck, head falling to his shoulder.

“Jug,” she whispers. “I’m always yours.”

He’s not _too_ distracted to notice Archie as he throws a fist into the air.

“Saturday is for the boys!”

* * *

“If Saturday is for the boys, then shopping is for the girls,”

Betty whines under her breath, struggling to keep up with her best friend’s fast paced stride. And yes, Veronica is wearing heels, as always. Betty doesn’t know how she does it.

Her arms are aching from the weighted shopping bags decorating both of her wrists. The town car seems like it’s miles away instead of feet.

A familiar reflective window has her stopping in her tracks.

The Riverdale Register, now under new management.

“You okay B?”

She sounds concerned.

Betty manages a smile. It’s all in the past, after all.

“I would have run it better,” she says simply.

Veronica’s smiling in a way Betty doesn’t quite know how to process.

“I know sweetie,” she hums, grabbing her hand, pulling her to where Smithers is still waiting. “I know you would have.”

* * *

Jughead and Archie are so focused on their game, they barely acknowledge Veronica and Betty as they sweep into the apartment.

The only thing they can do is smile, mumble the word _boys_ under their breath as they shake their heads.

She’s glad he’s having fun.

* * *

She and Veronica sit at the kitchen table on their phones, showing off their favorite tiktoks.

“Hey,” her best friend whispers. “Have you tried the _hugging boyfriend while he’s playing video games_ yet?”

Betty casts another glance at Jughead, completely absorbed. She smiles again.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, V?”

* * *

Betty was the one with the façade of Nancy Drew whilst growing up, but it is Veronica Lodge that is scarily good at angling Betty’s phone at the perfect angle where neither of the boys will notice it.

They share a nervous smile, silently mouth the words to count to three.

* * *

He’s not sure how long they’ve been playing.

Archie arrived at nine, Betty and Veronica left around ten, and they’ve been snacking all day, so he can’t use meal times like breakfast, lunch and dinner to tell him what time it is.

Either way, Archie was right. Sometimes, Saturday’s _are_ for the boys. It’s been nice reliving an old favorite past time with his best friend.

His hands are going numb from not letting go of the controller, his eyes are a little glazed over, his butt is fast asleep, and he almost doesn’t notice that little blonde angel of his about to crawl onto his lap.

* * *

She lifts his arms with ease, carefully straddles one leg, and then the other, runs her hands up and down his back.

There’s a loud _oof_ from beside her, and she turns her head, surprised to find that somehow, Veronica has missed Archie completely, and instead is lying backwards on the couch, looking stunned.

Jughead drops the controller.

* * *

“Dude,” Archie yells. “You’re about to die! Why would you do that? We finally got to level eighty-seven!”

He wraps his arms around Betty, cradles her to his chest.

“Jug!”

“Some things are more important Arch,” Jughead mumbles in response, and pulls Betty tighter against him as he stands, folding her into a bear hug.

Only one thing is more important, and it’s her.

* * *

He’s still carrying her when he reaches up, grabs her phone from the bookshelf, and stops recording.

A blush rises to her cheeks, and she hides her reddened face against his t-shirt clad chest.

He has to know what she’s been up to.

But by the way he kisses her hair, whispers that he loves her, every little goofy thing about her, she knows he doesn’t care.

And she loves him for that.

* * *

She posts the TikTok, pokes fun at her two best friends all in good fun, reiteritates her love for her boyfriend.

 _Your boyfriend is one of the most respectful people I have ever met,_ one user comments. _You have definitely found your forever person. I love watching your TikToks! Thank you for reviving the hope that there is someone out there for everyone._

A smile crosses her face. She sends a silent _thank you_ to Liz_Grizz92, along with about a thousand and one heart emojis in response.

She’s absolutely right. Jughead is Betty’s forever person.

* * *

“I’d do it now rather than later,” Veronica whispers, as she uncharacteristically hugs him goodbye. “You should have seen the look on her face today.”

* * *

“Baby?”

“Hmm?”

“...Take a ride with me?”

* * *

It’s her utter most faith in him that allows him to blindfold her a few streets away.

* * *

He pulls the keys from his pocket, heart pounding. This could ever be the best surprise ever, or the worst idea he’s ever had.

“Juggie?” Betty’s tone is gentle. “Are you all right? Your palms are sweating.”

He yanks his hand away from her, wipes it on his jeans in a fast, repetitive motion, and reclaims his grip, bringing her to his side.

“Betts, if you could have one thing in your future, what would it be?”

“You,” she answers, without hesitation.

“Let’s say you already _had_ me-”

“I _do_ have you... don’t I?”

“Yes, my love,” Jughead kisses her hair. “Baby, you’ll always have me, but if you could have anything else...”

“I’d still chose you,” blindly, she brings up a hand to cradle his face. “In a hundred life times, I would always choose you.”

* * *

She yelps in surprise as she’s suddenly hoisted over a familiar broad shoulder.

_“Jug!”_

“You’re ruining my attempt to be romantic by being romantic,” there’s a teasing lilt to his voice that has her grinning widely. “Damn it Betty, if you could have one job in this world, what would it be?”

He puts her down.

“A journalist,” Betty confesses, but he already knows this. He practically _ran_ the Blue and Gold with her in high school.

“Where at?”

“Here,” she says. “in Riverdale. Where you are. Where our family is.”

The Serpents. Archie, Veronica, Kevin, even Reggie at times. Jughead. The Wyrm. It’s home, even if it hasn’t felt like home at times in the past.

“...At the Riverdale Register?”

“Well, that used to be my dream, but...”

The blindfold falls away from her eyes. She can’t believe where she’s standing.

* * *

She’s crying.

She’s actually crying.

“Baby...” Jughead brings a hand to her face, confused. “Sweetheart, what’s-”

She throws her arms around his neck.

“You own the Register now?” Betty whispers.

He laughs softly, hands drawing circles across the skin of her back.

“No,” he replies. _“You_ do.”

* * *

“I... _I_ own the Riverdale Register?”

He drags her curls away from her neck, breath tickling her skin as he drops a sweet kiss to her exposed neck and shoulder. “Mhhm.”

She still can’t believe it.

 _“I_ own the Riverdale Register,”

His arms snake around her waist. “You sure do, baby.”

“How...”

“Betts,” Jughead laughs, low to her ear. “You always said you could run this place better than your parents, and now’s your chance.”

Her heart pounds inside of her chest.

She used to talk to him about it, about the articles her parents would publish, always out to hurt someone. She doesn’t do that.

Everything Betty writes is for a purpose, to give herself and the others around her a voice.

She never thought she would get a chance to redeem the Register’s name, but now she has it, and it’s all because of that beanie wearing boy.

She loves him. More than she even knows how to put into words sometimes.

“Baby, look at me,”

Gently, he lifts her chin, bringing her gaze to level his.

“You know I believe in you, right?” Jughead curves a hand down the side of her face. “I believe in you, Betty Cooper, every single thing you do.”

It’s exactly what she needs to hear.

“The Register is mine,” Betty says, in the bravest voice she can muster.

A proud grin breaks out across his face.

“Fuck yeah it is,”

* * *

She jumps into his arms at that point. Her back is against the wall, legs wrapped around his hips as he easily holds her up.

“You know,” she pants, in between sloppy kisses. “there’s one thing we always wanted to do in high school...”

* * *

Sex in a public place, she supposes, is technically _frowned upon_ , but truthfully, she doesn’t give a flying fuck.

And anyway, they’re careful, hiding behind the desk that used to belong to her mother.

It’s exciting, a kind of _fuck you_ to the people that were there before them, yes, her parents, and kinky as hell.

As they finish, they’re both laughing hysterically.

* * *

“So,” Jughead says to her, as they’re both righting their clothes. “Hugging your boyfriend while he’s playing video games, huh?”

Her face turns beet red.

She tries to hide.

“Not so fast, _missy,”_ he teases, grabbing her hips, wrestling her into his lap.

They start laughing again.

“You are such a goof,” Jughead tells her fondly, pushing a piece of tangled blonde hair behind her ear. “Fuck Betts, I love you.”

“You’re not mad?” Betty asks timidly.

Her head falls heavily to his shoulder. She’s exhausted, and he seems to know it.

“Honestly?” He stands up with her in his arms, starting towards the bike. “I think it’s hilarious, and you, Ms. Cooper, are utterly adorable.”

A smile graces her lips.

“I love you,” she whispers.

Jughead swoops don to meet her mouth in a short, sweet kiss.

“I love you too,” he tells her. “Anything that makes you happy Betts, I’m all for. That’s all I ever want, is for you to be happy, baby. That’s all I ever want.”

* * *

“You know what _I_ want?”

“Other than a dog?” He taunts, recalling the weekly emails she would send him while at Yale, all with photos of available dogs, ready for adoption. He still wonders where she had time to search for adoptable pets with her rigorous schedule.

“Other than a dog,” Betty confirms, wrapping her arms around him from behind as he straddles the bike. “Jug, we are _getting_ a dog.”

Jughead catches her hand, presses a kiss to her knuckles. “I know we are, baby.”

“And maybe a cat,”

“Hey now, don’t go overboard, baby,”

“Jug,”

“Okay fine, a dog _and_ a cat,” he grumbles, grinning. “but their names better be badass, Betty Cooper, none of this Forsythe crap.”

“...Why would I name a pet after you?” Betty laughs. “If anything, I would name our son after-”

A hand smacks over her mouth.

“That is not even a _little_ bit funny,” Jughead growls, glaring at her laugher from underneath her palm.

“It is to _me,”_ she flings his hand away. “Oh come on Jug, we agreed a long time ago that we would have five kids, hopefully twin boys that we would name-”

“Jess and Elliot,” he recites.

They were sixteen when they had first decided on the names of their future children. Forever had been on their minds, even then.

“And then three beautiful girls,” Betty sighs happily. “Juliette, Katie and Olivia. God, I still love those names.”

Jughead grins down at her goofily. “Me too baby. A house full of Jones kids.”

“That your dad and sister will totally spoil, not to mention Archie, Veronica and the rest of the Serpents.”

“Oh no doubt about it,” he pulls his helmet down over his head. “Okay Betts, what do you _really_ want, besides two pets, and our five amazing future children?”

Betty smiles shyly, tightens her arms around his midsection.

“You,” she whispers, and that lovey-dovey feeling he so often feels around _her_ , his forever person, fills his stomach yet again.

 _Fuck._ He loves her.


	5. I'd do it all because I love you ( I love you)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

* * *

His promise for a dog _and_ a cat is one she’s determined to make him keep.

He would have kept it anyway, of course, but there’s still great fun in spamming his phone with ads about pets in need of a home.

* * *

When yet another notification _pings_ off his phone, he pretends to groan, rolls his eyes in an over-exegerated way, just for her, and tackles her playfully onto the bed, grabbing her wrists, pinning them above her head.

“Saturday,” he announces, and dives in to kiss and bite at her long, beautiful neck. Several marks already lay across her delectable skin. “I’ll take you to the shelter, and we’ll see which little fur babies need a home the most. Deal?”

He’s rewarded with that smile he loves most.

* * *

She doesn’t even stop to complain that it’s _only_ Monday. She’s just so fucking happy.

Clothes go flying. She shows him _just_ how much she loves him.

* * *

Later, he’s wearing a clean pair of boxers, she’s in his t-shirt, and nothing else. He’s lying across her stomach, head on her chest, half-asleep, a beautiful smile on his handsome face.

She’s still smiling herself, playing with his hair to try and relax him when she makes the decision to pick up her phone, record a short and sweet video.

* * *

If she thinks he doesn’t notice, then she’s adorable, his girl.

So fucking adorable.

She falls asleep with her phone in her hand. Gently withdrawing from her arms, he takes it from her hand, not surprised to find yet another TikTok of the two of them.

 _I promise to love you forever_ , she writes as the caption, accompanied by a video of him sound asleep against her.

Grinning, Jughead reaches over her to plug her phone, ready to die, into its charger, kisses the top of her head, draws her closer to him.

“That makes two of us baby,” he mutters, and just as quickly as he was awoken, he’s falling back asleep to the comforting sound of his girlfriend’s heartbeat.

* * *

They’re at Pop’s, halfway through their second plate of fries, when Betty asks him the strangest question.

“Jug,” she makes a face, perched on his thigh. “Do you think I need to lose some weight?”

* * *

Everyone is there. Literally everyone they care about. The Serpents, Archie, Kevin, Veronica, and the second the words leave her mouth, the conversations stop. All eyes are on her.

“Betty,” Kevin scolds.

“B,” Veronica chimes in. “You are _so_ beautiful.”

“Get that thought out of your head,” Sweet Pea nags.

“I _wish_ I could look like you, Cousin,”

“Betty,” Toni waits until she meets her gaze to continue. “Did someone say something to you? One of your punk residents from the dorms, maybe? Because you can just give me their name, and I’ll go straighten them out...”

“I’ll bring the arrow,” Cheryl pipes in, and by the look on her face, she’s completely serious.

“Was it someone on TikTok?” Archie demands. “You have to block them Betty, they’re just jealous trolls.”

“No,” she’s quick to assure them, lest Cheryl and Toni go on a witch hunt, and she _knows_ they would, if only for her. “No one said anything... at least, no one besides...”

Joaquin’s lips curl in disgust.

“Alice,” he guesses, and she nods. “But doll, you haven’t seen her since the day we helped move all your shit into Veronica’s spare room at the Pembrooke.”

Betty smiles faintly at the memory, sends her best friend yet another telepathic _thank you_ , because she can’t thank Veronica enough for giving her a safe place until graduation, and the summer before college.

Jughead sighs, tightens his grip. “It was before she moved out. Alice was always lecturing her about the importance of the _freshman fifteen_ , which is complete bullshit if you ask me, just like your earlier question, Elizabeth. I mean, no offense baby, but fuck, Betty, you _know_ what I think.”

She’s not really sure why she asked it in the first place, but she’s human, and every human is prone to the occasional insecurity.

Maybe it’s because of the half-full plate of greasy fries still in front of them, maybe it’s because she hasn’t really made working out a priority. Maybe it’s because her boyfriend is an _amazing_ cook, and makes it a priority to feed her properly three times a day when she’s so used to eating day old ramen since there’s no time to grab anything else in between classes, homework, exams and planning activities for her residents.

Maybe she’s just having _one of those days_ , and that’s okay.

And lucky for her, Jughead always seems to know exactly what to say.

“Betts,” he grabs the plate, pulls it closer. “Baby, I love you, I love every inch and piece of you, I always have and I always will. You’re _beautiful_ , Elizabeth Cooper, so fucking beautiful. You don’t need to lose a thing.”

* * *

A smile breaks out across her face.

Grabbing another fry, she pops it into her mouth, snuggles in closer to him.

That’s his girl right there, and she is so fucking beautiful.

* * *

He shows her how much he loves her body later that night. _Five times._

She’s not feeling so insecure anymore as they both drift off to sleep. An idea comes to her, and as carefully as she can, she reaches for her phone, determined not to wake him.

 **V,** she types. **I think I’m ready. Or, I’m almost ready. Either way, tell Archie to stay off my page for the next couple of days.**

Her reply comes seconds later.

**Bettykins, you are beautiful, in case your boyfriend doesn’t tell you enough. Duly noted on my Archiekins, but honey, if you aren’t completely ready, there are always _other_ things you can do...**

* * *

...Dare she?

* * *

She does dare.

* * *

She manages to trick him, or at least she _thinks_ she manages to trick him, asking him to sit on the bed in the background while she thanks all of her viewers for their kind words.

The music starts, Jughead barely reacts. She’s dancing goofily, and he smiles in amusement.

And then the words start. Betty gets ready to spin around.

_Look at my ass, look at my thighs-_

She squeals.

* * *

He grabs her around the waist the second he hears it, flings her onto the bed, covers her body with his.

“Your ass and thighs are fucking beautiful, Betty,” Jughead tells her, and he’s grinning. “and while it may be a crime not to share them with the world, I’m not very _nice_ about sharing when it comes to what’s mine. And you, my beautiful girl, _are_ mine, just like I’m yours.”

* * *

Betty’s laughing like a maniac. His reaction is... exactly what she was expecting.

Yes she’s his, and he’s hers, and now that she thinks about it, she wouldn’t want _him_ sharing what’s hers either.

Because Jughead has a _really_ great butt.

* * *

“Betts,” he’s hovering over her, trying to keep a steady rhythm going.

“Y-Yeah?”

Jughead curves a hand behind the back of her head.

“Can _I_ look at your ass and your thighs any time _I_ want to?”

Betty pushes herself up onto her elbows, meets the corner of his mouth in a quick kiss.

“Any time you want Jones, any fucking time you want,”

* * *

_How did you get so lucky?_

_I want what you two have!_

_I wish my boyfriend would say at least a fraction of the things your boyfriend says to you._

_You two are SO cute!_

_...Well now I know why Veronica told me to stay off of your page for the next few days. Uh... nice one, Jug, and... this is awkward as fuck, isn’t it?_

* * *

She’s sitting on the edge of the bed, staring in the mirror above the dresser he installed just for her, trying to tie her hair into a ponytail appropriate for a trip to the shower _(she doesn’t need to wash her hair every day)_ , when she sees a pair of eyes in the reflective glass, greedily tracing over the curves of her body.

Oh yeah. _She’s not wearing anything._

“You know,” he says, and he’s grinning. “Your ass and your thighs are fucking awesome baby, but the rest of your body along with it... damn Betts, it’s an miracle I don’t embarrass myself like a school boy with his first crush every time I see you.”

She blushes, giggles like _she’s_ the one catching feelings when she caught them a long time ago. “You don’t have a crush on me, Jughead Jones?”

“Betty Cooper, I am crushing on you _so_ hard,”

He reaches for her then, lifts her onto his lap so she’s straddling him.

“Well what a coincidence,” Betty whispers against his lips. “I’m crushing pretty hard on you too, Mr. Jones.”

* * *

His hands are getting greedy against her back when she suddenly bolts away from him as if he’s on fire.

“Baby,” he grabs her wrists, hauling her back against his chest. “Are you okay?”

There’s a familiar glint in her pretty green eyes.

“Jug,” Betty croons, grinning like a chesire cat. “It’s _Saturday?”_

Jughead glances down at his phone and groans. It is indeed Saturday, at about 7:20 AM. His eyes cut to the obvious _bulge_ beneath the sheets, and then return to his girlfriend’s gaze, nearly pleading.

“Betts...”

“Cold shower,” Betty teases, and tries to hop off the bed, but he’s having none of that.

Catching her around the waist, he brings her back down on top of him. He knows his girl, knows by the way she’s breathing so heavily, she’s just as hungry as he is. Otherwise he’d let it go, tell her to get dressed and grab his keys.

He’ll never make her do anything she doesn’t want to do. They’ve spent years building up so much respect for one another and the beauty that is their relationship.

“Juggie...”

“Say the word,” his arms wrap around her in a loose hold. “and we can stop, sweetheart.”

Betty twists, meets his mouth in a searing kiss.

“Fine,” she agrees, and pulls away a little breathless. “Sexy time now, animal shelter later.”

Jughead snorts. He can’t help it.

“Fuck,” he says, lowering her down onto the mattress, hovering his body above hers. “You are such a goofball baby. I love you.”

“I love you,” Betty whispers. “Juggie, make love to me.”

“With pleasure, my love,”

* * *

And _oh_ does he.

* * *

She’s bouncing in her seat. Literally bouncing.

And it’s fucking _adorable._

This, Jughead decides, as he side eyes his beaming girlfriend, is how he always wants her to look.

Because Betty Cooper is beautiful even on her worst days, but happiness looks good on her.

So he’ll spend the rest of his life trying to make her happy.

* * *

...Even if it means getting not one, but two cats.

It’s just his luck that the second they walk into the room designated for cats, Betty finds two that she immediately falls in love, and by the way both of them are currently curled up in her lap, purring loudly, it’s clear the feeling is quite mutual.

And it just so happens that the orange tabby and multi colored calico are a bonded pair and need to be adopted together.

So they’ll adopt them together.

Betty is still jumping for joy, cradling their two little fur babies to her chest. He can’t help but grin, lift one of them from her arms to hold in his own.

She’s so tiny. So... dare he say, _cute?_

Betty names the calico Ivy. He likes that name. It’s nice, simple, pretty, but then she’s asking him to name their little tabby, and only one name comes to mind. Lux.

It means light, and she’s named singlehandedly in honor of the most important person in his world. Betty Cooper. His own light.

The smile on her face lets him know that she knows exactly why he chose the nanme.

* * *

And she loves him for it.

* * *

So they’ll have two cats and a dog. Not a big deal. They can handle it. They can handle anything.

* * *

...Even two dogs.

* * *

It bothers him that the six-month-old female border collie and seven-month-old Labrador retriever sharing a cage don’t even have names.

That’s not right.

Betty barely has to look at him with those beautiful, pleading green eyes. He’s already telling the attendant showing them around that they’ll be taking both dogs home.

They were found together, brought in together, and now, they’ll get to grow up together, and that’s a promise.

* * *

She decides to name the girl, the border collie Folly. She’s not really sure why.

She cradles Ivy under one are, holds Folly’s frayed leash with her other hand, laughs as Jughead bends down to the lab’s height, wraps one arm around him.

“Well buddy,” he says, in a teasing tone that makes her stick her tongue out at him. “You and I are gonna have to stick together if we wanna survive a house ruled by women.”

* * *

Bender. He names the dog Bender, and Betty can’t help if it’s a tribute to one of her favorite movies ever. The Breakfast Club. Either way, she loves it.

* * *

The ride home is... eventful, to say the least.

They have to stop off and buy things they should have gotten before their little visit to the shelter, like beds, food, toys, proper collars and leashes.

He leaves Betty in the truck with their newfound pack of four. When he comes back, they’re all battling to sit on her lap, and he tries not to feel jealous.

The second he starts driving, Lux crawls across the cab to straddle his shoulder, and Folly rests her head on his leg.

Betty, beaming yet again, reaches across to take his hand. She doesn’t let go.

He’s pretty fond of their new little family already.

* * *

Sweet Pea’s jaw falls the second they pull up in front of the Wyrm. “The fuck is all of this, Jones?”

“These,” proudly, he gestures to the packed full truck. “are my fur children, Ivy, Lux, Bender and Folly Jones, and just like Betty, they are cherished members of the Serpent family and must be treated as such.”

His friend merely shrugs, bends down to scratch the dogs behind their ears. “Bender... like John Bender?”

“Like John Bender,” Jughead replies, eyes never leaving Betty.


End file.
